Chapter 124: Return to Reality

Although Kayaba did not utilize any electronic assistance, Kirito’s offensive made no headway. While the output of his dual-wielding style was terrifying, Kayaba’s own skills were perfectly suited to counter him. The "Divine Blade" could completely negate any damage as long as he successfully parried. Furthermore, as the creator of the game, Kayaba was intimately familiar with every technique; had Kirito chosen to rely on pre-programmed skills, he would have been defeated even faster. Thus, he had opted to use the traditional swordsmanship he had learned in reality.

However, Kayaba’s current existence was akin to an electronic ghost. As the battle progressed, the tide began to turn against Lancer and the others. Kayaba, devoid of any nervous tension, managed to parry nearly every blow, while Kirito gradually began to make errors.

"Ah!" Kirito’s dual blades crossed and struck Kayaba’s shield with a fierce clang. He then spun, his left-hand sword slashing upward, followed by a downward strike from the other. Kayaba, expressionless, blocked them all. Though he looked like a small boat in a storm, on the verge of sinking at any moment, he remained afloat no matter how much time passed.

"It seems Kirito can’t hold out much longer," Lancer, having finished his playful posturing, commented while sitting on the ground amidst the group.

"Then what do we do?" Asuna remembered what Sachi had told her before they arrived. Ignorant of the internal details, she was terrified that something might happen to Kirito here, and she was naturally extremely anxious.

"It seems I have to step in after all." With a resigned sigh, Lancer took off his armor, leaving him dressed only in his hakama.

"Hey! Kirito! Switch!" A crimson longsword appeared in Lancer’s hand. He instantly lunged to Kirito’s side, blocking a thrust that had followed the opponent's defense.

"Lancer-kun, this is a duel. As a knight, do you not know how to respect one?" Kayaba didn't say much, merely remarking to Lancer as if in complaint.

"A duel? Kayaba-san, have you forgotten your identity? You are not the leader of the Blood Oath Knights right now; you are the final boss we are here to clear." Lancer didn't care. He had long wanted to cross blades with him but had never had the chance. However, he didn't want to violate knightly protocol only to have Artoria find out later and lecture him, so he naturally retorted.

"A boss, is it? Very well, I accept." The longsword vanished, hiding like a viper in its den, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Then, as a worthy opponent, let us perform the ancient ritual." Seeing Kayaba so receptive, Lancer couldn't help but speak. Kirito’s intuition was unparalleled, but he was still too green to be considered a true match for him. Kayaba, while not a master, was an electronic ghost who had synthesized countless combat records from the network, making him a truly worthy adversary.

"A ritual? Heh, the rules of a knightly duel from the age of the Knight King? Very well, I shall indulge you." Such a ritual was not something known to everyone, nor could just anyone perform it. In the age of the Knight King, countless knights were dubbed, but since the kings of England were no longer of the Pendragon line, few nobles still held titles bestowed by the Knight King. Moreover, those who did possess such status would not duel others lightly, for a duel staked the very honor of a knight.

Sheathing his crimson longsword, Lancer placed his left hand over his chest and declared, "A free knight under King Arthur—Lancer Pendragon—swears by the glory of the Red Dragon that I shall emerge victorious in this duel." Though brief, everyone could feel Lancer’s sincerity. The lazy aura that had previously enveloped him had vanished, replaced by a sense of sanctity that was alien to everyone present.

"The glory of the Red Dragon? The house of the Knight King... it seems I must take this seriously." A clear emotional shift appeared on Kayaba’s deadpan face. He had not expected Lancer to hold him in such high regard. In his view, duels between knights were usually sworn upon oneself or one’s own house; to swear upon one's liege or their house was to signify the highest respect—or a fight to the death.

"Then... I shall swear upon my identity as the creator of this world. If you win, I will liberate this world." Kayaba had been considering how to find a reason to end the game, and Lancer’s actions had provided him with a perfect excuse; he naturally went with the flow.

"Who exactly is Lancer?" Kirito was a friend of Lancer’s from school, but he only knew what Lancer had revealed there. He could not imagine that the words Lancer had just spoken—the seemingly ethereal concept of honor—could move Kayaba Akihiko enough to gamble the end of this world on a duel.

Silica and Asuna, who knew a bit more, naturally wouldn't speak of it; besides, it was too shocking. If not for the fact that they had seen that man who claimed to be a vampire with their own eyes, they would never have believed it. At this moment, they didn't know why they focused their eyes on the exceptionally solemn man in the arena, but their hearts whispered the reason, though they were unwilling to believe it.

"Come! Let us settle this with one strike!" Lancer called out heroically. The opponent did not refuse, merely nodding.

"A quick-draw?" Seeing Lancer step forward, his body slightly lowered, his right hand resting on the hilt of the blade at his left hip, Kayaba—possessing vast amounts of data—naturally knew what Lancer’s attack would be. But while a quick-draw was simple in theory, it was not easy to defend against. If one relied on computer assistance, one could trace the trajectory of the attack and parry, then counter-attack using the momentum of the draw. But without computer assistance, this was a true test of skill.

Without a shred of fear, Kayaba kept his eyes fixed on Lancer’s shoulder. He knew the outcome would be decided in a single instant.

The onlookers held their breath in the tense atmosphere. Even so, as time passed, a stir was inevitable; the giant-like Agil couldn't help but swallow hard. But in that very instant—

"Clang!"

Even though everyone had been staring intently at the arena, no one saw the motion of Lancer drawing his sword; they only saw him re-sheathing it after the strike had concluded.

"It is finished." The positions and postures of the two remained unchanged, but it was Kayaba Akihiko who spoke first.

"Yes, it is finished." As Lancer sighed and turned to leave, the man known as Kayaba Akihiko, who had manifested as Heathcliff, dissolved into shards and vanished.

"It’s over?"

"It’s over."

"It’s over!"

...

Only then did the group react, finding it almost impossible to believe. But soon, they realized it was reality.

"Aincrad cleared. All surviving players will be logged out in one minute. Please prepare yourselves!"

...

The same announcement echoed three times simultaneously. Countless players, still grinding in the wilderness or living in the towns, looked up at the sky in disbelief.

"He did it, Kirito-kun, he did it!" In that small cottage, Sachi wept silently, knowing that Kirito and the others had succeeded.

"Master!" The young girl, who had been unwilling to admit her true feelings, had stayed by his side under the guise of being his student. Even though she had fully mastered blacksmithing, she often visited him under that pretense. But now that the game was over, she was lost, not knowing if he would forget her.

...

And so, amidst the myriad emotions of countless players, the floating castle known as "Aincrad" fell.

SAO was officially declared cleared.

*Sigh*—Finally finished this part. Regardless of how it turned out, I find myself tearing up as I write this.